


Background Information for "Marks"

by allaire mikháil (allaire)



Series: Marks [5]
Category: Babylon 5
Genre: Background information, Gen, summary of "The Price of Peace" - Freeform, summary of "To Dream in the City of Sorrows" - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 01:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20183689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allaire/pseuds/allaire%20mikh%C3%A1il
Summary: This is not a story, but rather a mish-mash of summaries of adjunct canon information etc.





	1. "The Price of Peace" (comics vol. 1-4) by JMS & Mark Moretti

**1: In Darkness Find Me**

[](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/babylon5/images/7/75/Babylon_5_01_c01.jpg) |  |  Sinclair, recalled to Earth after President Santiago's death, spends a few days in EarthDome in Geneva unsuccessfully trying to get an explanation. 

However, in the middle of the night of January 6, 2259, he is escorted to President Clark's office by a group of armed soldiers. 

There, Clark introduces him to _Satai_ Rathenn who, after using a triluminary on him to return to him his missing memories of the 24 hours of the Battle of the Line, explains that during his capture and interrogation/torture, the Minbari discovered he – as well as all the other human pilots captured and examined later – proved to have at least part of a Minbari soul. Since Minbari don't kill Minbari, the Grey Council ordered their race's unconditional surrender. They provided an explanation only to a handful of ranking EA officials, among them Santiago, but not Clark, and wiped Sinclair's memories after getting permission from his government. The Minbari want Sinclair to 'return' to Minbar.

Clark offers Sinclair a choice: Retirement with full military pension, or a posting to Minbar as EA's first ambassador there, and plays on his sense of duty to get him to accept the latter. Sinclair accepts under the proviso that he receives regular news of Garibaldi's condition.

A few days later, Sinclair takes a shuttle to the Minbari cruiser _Solaris_, travels to the Grey Council's ship and is invited to speak in front of them. He reads a poem of Alfred Lord Tennyson, _Ulysees_, and tells them he hopes they'll learn to understand each other.  
  
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* * *

**2: Treason**

[](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/babylon5/images/4/4c/Comic02.jpg) |  |  Babylon 5 receives a distress call from the starliner _Chiyoda-Ku_. Ivanova is on duty, explaining that Captain Sheridan is asleep after having been working double shifts trying to learn all he needs to run the station. Lt. Keffer tows the starliner to the station. Aside from a single survivor, all passengers and crew are dead. It looks like sabotage and murder. 

Parsecs away, the Minbari cruiser with Ambassador Sinclair on board stops to catch the flyer _Zhalan_ from Babylon 5 which, unknown to Sinclair, is carrying Delenn post-chrysalis. Racine, also a member of the Grey Council, explains to Sinclair that the period of mourning that followed Dukhat's death is over and that a new leader will be installed on Minbar during the _Shi-Ki_ ceremony.

Meanwhile, Garibaldi is recuperating in his quarters and is shown watching “Duck Dodgers in the 24 and 1/2 century” with Talia Winters before they are interrupted by a StellarCom call by Sinclair.

Ivanova learns that the _Chiyoda-Ku_'s mission is classified.

Someone who's obviously an undercover agent of some sort going by the name of Jason Colby tries to kill the sole survivor of the starliner, but is unsuccessful due to the survivor defending himself telepathically. The man flees medlab and seeks Talia Winters' help. He is found to be a psi cop by the name of Dexter Hall who had infiltrated a Pro-Earth splinter group traveling on the _Chiyoda-Ku_ who had plans to assassinate the new leader of the Minbari.

In the EA Embassy on Minbar, Sinclair meets Delenn and is shocked by her transformation. Their discussion is interrupted by a member of the warrior caste who arrives with crates containing Sinclair's belongings from Babylon 5... as well as a gun and details on the planned coronation route of Jenimer's. Sinclair is placed under arrest and is threatened that, should he be found guilty, the Minbari will once again declare war on Earth.  
  
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* * *

**3: In Harm's Way**

|  |  News of Sinclair's arrest are kept from the Minbari population but EarthGov is informed. Delenn doesn't appreciate Sinclair's gallows humor. 

Senator Hidoshi tells Captain Sheridan about Sinclair's arrest, strongly implying he thinks Sinclair is guilty, and orders Dexter Hall to be put into isolation prior to being turned over to an investigator sent by Earthforce's IA Department, a Colonel Babcock, who will shortly arrive on the station.

Sheridan protests, but Hidoshi informs him that, according to the Psi Corps, Dexter Hall is a dangerous rogue called “Cypher”.

Jason Colby receives orders from a man he calls “Webster” to eliminate Hall, who has fallen into an irreversible coma, as well as Talia Winters as a possible witness.

Meanwhile, Garibaldi considers the “Cypher” myth a hoax and tells Sheridan that he has known Sinclair for years and is absolutely certain of his innocence, and insists they have to find out whatever Dexter Hall knows of the assassination plot before he is taken away so that they might clear Sinclair.

On Minbar, Sinclair suggests Delenn contact Garibaldi and learns Neroon heads his prosection.

Back on Babylon 5, Garibaldi saves Talia from being kidnapped by Colby. As a result, Sheridan, Franklin and Talia agree she try to telepathically probe the comatose Hall, although her findings won't be admissible in court. She can access all he knows about the plot before he dies. Just minutes later, Colonel Thomas Babcock shows up – and the readers discover he is the man who's been giving Colby his instructions.

The volume ends with the beginning of Sinclair's trial.  
  
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* * *

**4: The Price of Peace**

|  |  Sheridan faces off against Colonel Babcock who threatens him with consequences for going against orders. Garibaldi returns to duty in order to be able to help in the Sinclair investigation. 

During Sinclair's trial on Minbar, Delenn presents exonerating evidence received from Babylon 5.

Back on Babylon 5, Colby hides in Downbelow and spies on Webster/Babcock's communications, learning that framing Sinclair for the assassination wasn't to start another war with the Minbari, but rather to force them to cut diplomatic ties with Earth. Webster intends to tie up all lose ends by killing Colby.

Garibaldi follows Delenn's suggestion to check the docking bay visual logs for all ships leaving for the Minbari system and identifies Colby as the culprit who planted the PPG rifle in Sinclair's belongings. Colby, far from a regular maintenance worker, has a history of working in Earthforce Intelligence, Special Forces.

Webster/Babcock gets taken hostage by Colby who wants off the station, but once they're on his shuttle, turns the tables on Colby, revealing that he is also a telepath. Sheridan's plan to arrest them both is for naught when the shuttle explodes.

On Minbar, the tribunal finds the evidence clearing Sinclair lacking. Sinclair willingly offers up his life in order to prevent another war. Neroon rages, but Jenimer intervenes and pardons Sinclair. Afterwards, Delenn congratulates Sinclair on his daring move before they say goodbye.

On Babylon 5, a Colonel Tiffany Babcock arrives, much to everybody's consternation.

The volume ends with a shadowed figure, the late Webster's superior, searching Psi Corps records for a replacement “Cypher”.   
  
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* * *

  
Characters:

  * Jeffrey Sinclair
  * Delenn
  * Talia Winters
  * Michael Garibaldi
  * John Sheridan
  * Susan Ivanova
  * Stephen Franklin
  * Warren Keffer
Minbari: 
  * _Satai_ Rathenn _(a member of the religious caste)_
  * _Satai_ Racine
  * Jenimer, the Chosen One _(leader of the Grey Council, Dukhat's successor, a member of the religious caste)_
  * _Satai_ Neroon _(a member of the warrior caste)_
  * Kozorr _(a member of the warrior caste)_
Humans: 
  * President Morgan Clark
  * Dexter Hall _(an undercover Psi Corps agent)_
  * Jason Colby _(an undercover agent for what appears to be a Home Guard cell)_
  * Thomas Webster _(Jason Colby's superior, purporting to be "Colonel Babcock")_
  * Colonel Tiffany Babcock _(an Earthforce IA investigator)_
  * Lt. Corona _(Babylon 5 C&C personnel; only mentioned by name)_


	2. "To Dream in the City of Sorrows" by Kathryn M. Drennan

Links to summaries:  
[Wikipedia: Babylon 5: To Dream in the City of Sorrows](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_5:_To_Dream_in_the_City_of_Sorrows)  
[The Babylon 5 Project: To Dream in the City of Sorrows](https://babylon5.fandom.com/wiki/To_Dream_in_the_City_of_Sorrows)  
[The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5: To Dream in the City of Sorrows](http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/novels/009.html)

[ ](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/babylon5/images/1/17/Cityofsorrow-cover1.jpg)

  
Summary by chapter:

| Acknowledgments by the author  
---|---  
| Introduction by JMS  
Prologue  |  Marcus Cole makes a pilgrimage to Tuzanor in the wake of the events of 3x19 “Grey 17 is missing” and remembers his training as a Ranger.  
Chapter 1  |  Jeff Sinclair, newly installed as EA's ambassador to Minbar, deals with the minutiae of his first days there.  
Chapter 2  | Sinclair gets frustrated with the realities of his new post.  
Chapter 3  | Sinclair establishes a link with EarthDome, but finds no support.  
Chapter 4  | Sinclair continues to have nightmares of the Line, meets Marcus Cole's brother William and, thoroughly disillusioned, resigns his post as ambassador.  
Chapter 5  | Catherine Sakai unsuccessfully surveys a planet for Quantium 40 and thinks about her past with Sinclair.  
Chapter 6  | Marcus Cole runs his late parents' mining colony on Arisia 3.  
Chapter 7  | Sinclair accompanies Rathenn to a meeting with Jenimer, the Chosen One, where he encounters Delenn and Kosh and is introduced to _Sech_ Turval and another Vorlon, Ulkesh. He is made aware of the existence of the Rangers and the danger presented by the Shadows.  
Chapter 8  | According to their interpretation of prophecy, he is supposed to become Entil'Zha. Sinclair disagrees with them on several points.  
Chapter 9  |  Sakai surveys a Class 4 planet, Ymir, of whose outer crust a large part has seemingly been destroyed by an outside force.  
Chapter 10  |  _Satai_ Neroon speaks before the Council of Caste Elders and violently opposes Sinclair's proposed elevation to Entil'Zha. However, Sinclair convinces the Council and is chosen to lead the Rangers, although at first only as Anla'shok Na, Ranger One.  
Chapter 11  | Sinclair prepares and moves from Yedor to the Rangers' compound in Tuzanor where he encounters some opposition.  
Chapter 12  | Sinclair faces the opposition head-on and makes some progress.  
Chapter 13  | Sakai gets a short text message from Sinclair with a warning to be careful out on the Rim.  
Chapter 14  | Sinclair makes plans and records the message for Garibaldi as seen in episode 2x09 “The Coming of Shadows”.  
Chapter 15  | Marcus Cole is surprised by a visit from his brother who arrived on a Minbari ship.  
Chapter 16  | Sakai encounters twelve Shadow vessels in hyperspace and barely escapes with her life. On Babylon 5, she learns of Sinclair's assignment to Minbar.  
Chapter 17  | The Shadows attack Arisia 3.  
Chapter 18  | Marcus Cole loses his brother and, badly wounded, barely makes it to Babylon 5. Due to the events of episode 2x11 “All alone in the Night”, Catherine Sakai cannot get a meeting with a friendly face and decides to travel to Minbar instead.  
Chapter 19  | Sakai reunites with Sinclair in Tuzanor.  
Chapter 20  | Sinclair tells Sakai about how he knows Sheridan.  
Chapter 21  | Marcus Cole also travels to Minbar and keeps his promise to his late brother by joining the Rangers.  
Chapter 22  | Sinclair and Sakai reminiscence. Sakai convinces him she also wants to join the Rangers.  
Chapter 23  | Marcus Cole trains under _Sech_ Turval.  
Chapter 24  | Marcus Cole has a late night talk with a relaxed Sinclair.  
Chapter 25  | Jenimer dies. Neroon agrees to honor his dying wish to have Sinclair ordained as Entil'Zha.  
Chapter 26  | Sinclair goes through the ordination ceremony which has its own dangers.  
Chapter 27  | Marcus Cole and Catherine Sakai are initiated as Rangers. Sinclair and Sakai learn that the time rift in Sector 14, normally controlled by the Great Machine on Epsilon 3, is in danger of being reopened by the Shadows. Marcus Cole and Catherine Sakai are chosen to stop their plan. Sinclair chooses himself as the third pilot.  
Chapter 28  | Sinclair, Sakai and Cole prepare for and speculate about the mission before they are issued time stabilizers and set out for the rift.  
Chapter 29  | They destroy six enemy ships as well as the Shadow apparatus. Sakai's fighter is disabled and drawn into the rift. Sinclair's fighter is damaged as well, preventing him from saving her.  
Chapter 30  | Sinclair learns that following Sakai is impossible. He refuses to heal the shrapnel scar to his face. Kosh gives him a fragile bit of hope that he might see her again one day.  
Chapter 31  | Cole and Sinclair talk about predestination before Cole departs for his first Ranger solo mission.  
Epilogue  | Marcus Cole's pilgrimage comes to an end. He finds he cannot reconcile the Sinclair he knew with the myth of Valen. He receives an unsigned, undated hand-written message with “thanks from both of us”, implying that Sinclair found Sakai again in the past.  
  
* * *

The novel features:

  * Jeffrey Sinclair
  * Catherine Sakai
  * Marcus Cole
with short cameos by: 
  * Michael Garibaldi
  * Zack Allen
  * Dr. Lillian Hobbs
Minbari: 
  * _Satai_ Delenn
  * _Satai_ Rathenn _(a member of the religious caste)_
  * Jenimer, the Chosen One _(leader of the Grey Council, Dukhat's successor, a member of the religious caste)_
  * _Satai_ Racine
  * _Satai_ Neroon _(a member of the warrior caste)_
  * _Sech_ Turval from the 8th Fane of Tredomo _(Sinclair's predecessor as Anla'shok Na, a Ranger instructor afterwards)_
  * _Sech_ Durhan _(a Ranger instructor, master of the denn'bok)_
  * Venak _(Ambassador Sinclair's aide)_
  * Inesval, of the F'tach Islands _(a Ranger and a member of the worker caste)_
Humans: 
  * William Cole _(Marcus Cole's younger brother, a Ranger)_
  * Hasina Mandisa _(chief of planetary forecasting on Arisia 3)_
  * Peverell Meugnot _(President Clark's personal aide)_
Vorlons: 
  * Kosh Naranek
  * Ulkesh Naranek


End file.
